Documento redigido a 12 de Março de 1625. (pode ler-se no documento: made the xij th day of March in the xxij yeare of the reigne of our sou[er]aigne Lord James.).

Manuscrito de 35x49 cm. Com uma folha de pergaminho escrita com letra cursiva em tinta castanha, ao longo de 38 linhas na frente e com assinaturas no verso.

Exemplar com algumas manchas pontuais e algumas palavras desvanecidas, que dificultam a leitura. O selo pendente terá sido removido.

Este documento parece funcionar como um híbrido entre uma «bargain and sale» e uma «release», apresentando elementos de ambas, no que parece ser um intrincado contrato com vários intervenientes. Regista uma transacção entre Thomas Parsons e William Meate, no condado de Hereford, e faz referência a pelo menos um outro contrato de lease, onde se envolve um Thomas Harper e um John Parsons. Encontra-se o verso assinado por 5 pessoas, sendo possível que algumas sejam apenas testemunhas. Trata-se também de uma «carta partida».

Bargain and sale era um tipo de documento que registava a venda de bens imóveis, tendo existido desde o século XV como alternativa ao feoffment. A lease and release era outra forma de registar vendas de propriedade — a mais popular desde o século XVII, até 1845 — podendo ser utilizada também para fins de hipotecas. Compunha-se de dois documentos, a lease e a release.

Uma «carta partida» ou «quirógrafo» (em inglês chirograph), é um termo que designa um documento manuscrito em duplicado, triplicado, ou muito raramente em quadriplicado, numa única folha de pergaminho. As partes eram depois cortadas em linha ondulada, encaixando umas nas outras como peças de um puzzle. Este processo foi utilizado durante séculos como garantia de autenticidade.

Transcrição de algumas linhas do documento:

[linha 01] This indenture made the xij th day of March in the xxij yeare of the reigne of our sou[er]aigne Lord James by the grace of God of England France and

[linha 02] Ireland king defendour of the faythe &c. Betweene Thomas Parsons of [...] in the County of Heref[ord] [...] of

[linha 03] the one parte and William Meate of Hursley in the [pishe?] of Letton in the sayd County yeoman on the other parte Whereas one John Parsons

[linha 04] of Hursley aforesaid yeoman by his indenture of Lease bearing date the xxjth day of September in the yeare of the reigne of our sou[er]aigne lord the

[linha 05] kinge [...] therein expressed [...]

[linha 06] & assigned three acres of arrable land [...] their appurtenance

[linha 07] [...] by the said Thomas Parsons of one Thomas Harper [...] & being in the lordshippe of Hursley and [...] of Letton aforesaid

[linha 08] field there [...] betweene the lande then of one John [...] the said three acres of arable of [...] and Thomas Harper In which indenture of lease there are

[linha 14] Nowe this Indenture witnesses that the said Thomas Parsons for & in consideration of the some of XIJ pounds & fourteene

[linha 15] shellings of good & lawfull money of England to him beforehand payd by the said William Meate where of the said Thomas Parsons [...] hereby con

[linha 16] fesse & aknowledge and thereof & of [...] release the sayd William Meate Hath given graunted bargayned sould assigned & sat over? & ... fully ... give graunt bargaine sell

[linha 18] assigne & set over onto the sayd William Meate [...] & assign[es] the sayd three acres of errable

[Verso] Sealed & deliv[er]ed in the presence of [cinco assinaturas]

 Document drawn up on 12 March 1625 (the document reads: made the xij th day of March in the xxij yeare of the reigne of our sou[er]aigne Lord James.).

Manuscript. 35x49 cm. With a sheet of parchment written in cursive in brown ink over 38 lines on the front and with signatures on the back.

Copy with some occasional stains and some faded words, which make reading difficult. The pending seal has been removed.

This document seems to work as a hybrid between a «bargain and sale» and a «release» also showing elements of both, in what appears to be an intricate contract with several parties involved. It records a transaction between Thomas Parsons and William Meate, in the county of Hereford, and refers to at least one other lease contract involving a Thomas Harper and a John Parsons. The verso is signed by 5 people, some of whom may only be witnesses. It is also a chirograph.

Bagain and sale was a type of document that recorded the sale of immovable property, having existed since the 15th century as an alternative to the feoffment. The lease and release was another way of registering property sales - the most popular from the 17th century until 1845 - and could also be used for mortgages. It consisted of two documents, the lease and the release.

Chirograph, is a term that refers to a handwritten document in duplicate, triplicate, or very rarely quadriplicate, on a single sheet of parchment. The parts were then cut in a wavy line, fitting together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. This process was used for centuries as a guarantee of authenticity.